Low bids help city’s street plans

The city’s summer street improvements are already underway and will be extended by about 10 percent with the Kirksville City Council receiving under-budget concrete and asphalt bids.

City staff also reported during the Council’s study session meeting Monday that additional work is needed before grant-assisted demolition of the former high school just east of the downtown, and several residential properties, can begin this fall or early spring.

The Council unanimously approved the authorization of increasing the asphalt and concrete contract amounts with Mihalevich Concrete Construction and APAC for the annual summer street improvement program. Bids from both contractors came in under budget, leaving about $125,000 additional within the city’s $1.2 million Street Improvement Program, as funded by the transportation sales tax.

Public Works Director Alan Griffiths noted work is already underway on the about a dozen asphalt and concrete improvements and about a dozen spot concrete slab repairs across the city, with crews currently working on curb and gutter work ahead of new asphalt on Halliburton Street.

Council also approved the purchase of about $41,000 in hot and cold mix asphalt from W. L. Miller for spot repairs by city crews as the contractors focus on the major projects.

Griffiths said having about 10 percent more to put toward the streets will allow crews to either extend current projects farther or potentially add new areas of focus.

Council also awarded Mihalevich Construction the fencing and concrete bid for the McKinney Bark Park, at a cost of about $32,000 with work slated to start soon and potentially allow for the park’s opening by early August.

Funding for the project is a combination of about $20,000 in labor and capital improvements funding from the city and about $21,000 from community donations and in-kind labor and materials.

“We’re ready to get it moving forward,” noted Griffiths.

The Council however will have to wait to see the demolition of the old high school, 411 E. McPherson St., and four blighted residential properties with the Community Development Block Grant calling for additional historic preservation examination of the building that used to house Kirksville High before being used for administrative offices and then being sold to private parties.

The city is still undergoing the environmental assessment and other paperwork and staff are aiming to bid the project out by this fall, with work slated to start either late this fall or in the spring.

The CDBG funding has a two-year time limit and was awarded October 2013.

The total project cost, including the residential demolitions, is estimated at $228,000 with the commercial property’s owners paying for 20 percent of the costs while residential owners are contributing $1,000 each.

The Council also declined to advance discussion on a citizen-proposed ordinance that would decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Presented with a citizen request to consider a draft ordinance that resembles other municipalities’ decriminalization efforts, a majority of Council members gave verbal opposition to putting the matter up for discussion at a future date.

Mayor Glen Moritz expressed the lone interest of the five-person Council in advancing the discussion to a future study session.

Meeting glanceHere are three other notes from last night’s council meeting:

- Council approved the final set of liquor licenses, in all approving 68 individual licenses for 41 businesses, bringing in about $19,000 in fees.

- Council approved the use of city streets for the annual Red, White and Blue Festival for the Fourth of July.

- Council unanimously approved the appointment of Patty Preston to the Affordable Housing Board.